Download Shopify SEO checklist 2025 [Free in Google Sheets]

Staying on top of SEO is essential for driving organic traffic and increasing sales. The Shopify SEO Checklist 2025 is a free, ready-to-use Google Sheets template that simplifies the entire process. From technical SEO and keyword optimization to content strategy and backlink building, this checklist ensures your store meets the latest SEO best practices!

I. What is a Shopify SEO checklist?

A Shopify SEO checklist is a step-by-step guide to optimizing your Shopify store for search engines like Google. It helps ensure your store follows best practices to improve rankings, drive organic traffic, and increase sales.

A good checklist covers essential SEO elements, including:

• Site structure & navigation: Ensuring a clean, user-friendly layout
• Keyword optimization: Targeting the right search terms for your products
• On-page SEO: Optimizing URLs, meta tags, headings, and content
• Technical SEO: Improving site speed, mobile performance, and indexing
• Content strategy: Using blogs and product descriptions to attract visitors
• Backlink building: Gaining credibility with high-quality external links

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II. Key elements of Shopify SEO checklist

2.1 Basic Shopify SEO Checklist

Choosing the Right Domain

Before diving into Shopify SEO, you’ll need a custom domain for your Shopify store. You can connect an existing domain, transfer one, or buy a new one directly from Shopify. Shopify allows up to 10 domains and subdomains per store.

Here’s what to keep in mind when picking a domain name:

• Keep it short and easy to remember.
• Make it brandable.
• Ensure it’s relevant to your business and industry.
• Including a keyword can help with SEO, but it’s not required.

Once you have your domain, it’s important to set a primary domain in Settings > Domains to avoid duplicate versions of your site appearing in search engines. Otherwise, Google might treat these as separate websites:

• https://example.com
• https://www.example.com
• https://www.example.com/
• https://example.com/

If you need subdomains, Shopify makes it easy to create them if you bought your domain through Shopify. Otherwise, you’ll need to set them up through your domain provider and connect them manually.

Set Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a must-have tool for monitoring how your site performs in search results. It helps you:

• Track search traffic and keyword rankings
• Identify crawling and indexing issues
• Analyze Core Web Vitals (page speed, mobile usability, etc.)

To set it up:

1. Create a Google Search Console account.
2. Verify your domain (if you already use Google Analytics, you can verify through that).
3. If you have multiple international domains, repeat this step for each one.

Set Up Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing may not be as big as Google, but it still drives traffic! Setting up Bing Webmaster Tools helps your store appear in Bing search results.

1. Create a free Bing Webmaster Tools account.
2. Add your website and verify ownership.

Submit Your Sitemap to Google & Bing

A sitemap is a file that helps search engines understand your site’s structure. Shopify automatically generates one at:
www.yourstore.com/sitemap.xml

To submit it:

• Google Search Console → Go to Index > Sitemaps > Add a new sitemap → Enter sitemap.xml.
• Bing Webmaster Tools → Open your account → Add a sitemap under Adding Sitemaps.

Set Up Google Analytics

Google Analytics helps track how visitors interact with your website, so you can understand:

• Where your traffic comes from
• Which pages perform best
• How users navigate your store

To set it up:

1. Create a Google Analytics account.
2. Add a new web property and a data stream.
3. Insert your Google tag ID into your Shopify store.

Use SEO Tools to Stay Ahead

SEO is always evolving, so it helps to use tools that track rankings, competitors, and algorithm changes.

1. Paid SEO tools:

• Moz – Full SEO marketing suite
• Ahrefs – SEO audits, research, and tracking
• Semrush – Keyword tracking + competitor insights
• Keywords Everywhere – Simple keyword research

2. Free SEO tools:

• Surfer SEO (Chrome extension) – Search data & content recommendations
• Keyword.io – Free keyword suggestions
• Screaming Frog – Detects crawl errors
• MozBar – Quick SEO insights
• Google Ads Keyword Planner – Keyword research for ads

Check If Your Site is Indexed

To see if Google has indexed your Shopify store, do a quick site search:

site:yourdomain.com

If no results show up, it means your site isn’t indexed yet. The fix? Remove password protection in Shopify so Google can crawl and index your pages.

Understanding Robots.txt in Shopify

Shopify automatically includes a robots.txt file, which tells Google what parts of your site to crawl (or ignore). By default, Shopify blocks:

• Checkout pages
• Cart pages
• Internal search results

For most stores, Shopify’s default robots.txt file is fine, but if you have a complex navigation (like faceted filters), you may need to tweak it. Shopify doesn’t allow direct editing of this file, but you can use noindex tags to handle duplicate content issues.

2.2 On-Page Shopify SEO Checklist

On-page SEO is all about optimizing individual pages so search engines can understand them—and users can easily find them. Let’s break it down step by step:

Do Keyword Research Like a Pro

Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. It helps you figure out what your audience is searching for and which keywords you should target on each page. Here’s how to do it effectively:

1. Think like a customer: What would someone type into Google when searching for your product?
2. Identify search intent:
   • Product pages → Target keywords with buying intent (e.g., “running shoes for women”).
   • Blog posts → Target informational keywords (e.g., “how to choose running shoes”).
3. Use keyword tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Semrush to check search volume and competition.
4. Look at Amazon and eBay search suggestions to see what real customers are typing.

Optimize Your Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

Search engines (and readers!) use headings to understand the structure of your page.  H1 tag = The main title of the page. This should contain your primary keyword.

• Shopify automatically sets the page title as the H1 tag.
• H2, H3, H4 → Use these for subheadings in a clear hierarchy: H1 > H2 > H3.
• Keep it natural—don’t stuff keywords where they don’t belong.

Write Click-Worthy Title Tags

Your title tag is what appears as the blue clickable link in Google search results. A great title can boost your click-through rate (CTR).

Best practices for title tags:

• Keep it under 60 characters (Google cuts off longer titles).
• Put your main keyword near the beginning.
• Make it compelling—think of it like a headline that makes people want to click!

Example: Instead of a boring title like “Shop Running Shoes”, try:
“Best Running Shoes for Women – Lightweight & Comfortable”

Write an Irresistible Meta Description

The meta description is the little snippet of text below the title tag in search results. It doesn’t directly impact rankings, but it influences whether people click on your page.

• Keep it under 155 characters.
• Clearly describe what’s on the page.
• Include your target keyword near the beginning.
• Make it engaging—think of it as a mini ad for your page.

Example:

• Bad: “We sell high-quality running shoes. Shop now for the best deals.”
• Good: “Looking for the perfect running shoes? Check out our lightweight, ultra-comfortable collection for all terrains.”

Keep Your URLs Clean & SEO-Friendly

Your URL structure matters! A well-optimized URL helps both users and search engines understand what your page is about.

Best practices for URLs:

• Keep them short and readable.
• Include a keyword (but don’t force it).
• Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) or spaces.

Example:

• Bad URL: www.yourstore.com/products?id=45879xyz
• Good URL: www.yourstore.com/women-running-shoes

Add Descriptive Alt Text to Images

Alt text (alternative text) is an HTML attribute that describes what an image is about. It helps Google understand your images and improves accessibility for visually impaired users.

• Write clear, descriptive alt text that explains the image.
• Avoid keyword stuffing—make it sound natural.

Example:

• Bad alt text: “shoes running buy online sale cheap”
• Good alt text: “Lightweight blue running shoes for women with breathable mesh design.”

Use Schema Markup for Rich Results

Schema markup is extra code that helps Google display rich results—like star ratings, prices, and FAQs—directly in search results. This can increase clicks and improve SEO.

Tip: Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or Shopify apps to generate schema markup. Then, verify it using Google’s Rich Results Test Tool.

Best structured data types for Shopify pages:

• Homepage → Organization schema
• Collection pages → CollectionPage or OfferCatalog
• Product pages → Product schema (for price, availability, reviews, etc.)
• Blog posts → Article schema

2.3 Shopify Content Checklist

Build a Solid Content Marketing Strategy

A well-thought-out content marketing strategy helps attract and engage your audience. Here’s how to get started:

• Answer customer questions using keyword research: Think about what potential customers might ask when they’re exploring a product category but don’t have all the details. Use tools like Answer The Public, Google Autosuggest, or Keywords Everywhere to find real search queries and align your content with what people are looking for.
• Help customers maximize product value: Many users aren’t experts in the products they buy. Create content that shares useful tips, hacks, or best practices to help them get the most out of their purchase.

Make Content Easy to Read

Clear, well-structured content keeps readers engaged. Use these formatting tips to improve readability:

• Add a table of contents with jump links for quick navigation.
• Use multimedia (infographics, videos, charts) to make content more engaging.
• Break up sections with bullet points for easier scanning.
• Organize content with subheadings to improve structure.
• Include an FAQ section to address common questions.

Eliminate Duplicate Content

All website content should be unique and created specifically for your site. Duplicate content—when the same or very similar text appears on multiple URLs—confuses search engines and affects rankings.

• Write original product descriptions: Avoid using manufacturer descriptions, especially in eCommerce. Unique descriptions not only prevent duplicate content but also give you a chance to highlight product benefits in a more compelling way.
• Use canonical tags for unavoidable duplicates: If duplicate content appears across multiple dynamic pages, use a canonical URL to tell search engines which version to prioritize. Add a rel=”canonical” tag in the page’s HTML head section.

Managing Duplicate Content in Shopify

If your store has multiple product or landing pages with similar content, here’s how to prevent SEO issues:

• Use canonical links to tell Google which version of a page should be indexed.
• Apply noindex tags to duplicate pages if you don’t want them to appear in search results.
• Shopify’s built-in canonical tag system already helps manage duplicate content, but you can also use Shopify SEO apps or external tools like Siteliner or SEO Analyzer to detect issues.
• Understanding Shopify’s duplicate H1 tags: Shopify sometimes generates duplicate pages automatically.

For example:

• https://abc-shop.com/products/xyz
• https://abc-shop.com/collections/products/xyz

These pages contain the same content, but Google will only index the /products/ version to prevent keyword cannibalization.

2.4 Shopify technical SEO checklist

Ensure Your Store is Mobile-Friendly

Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search rankings. If your store loads slowly or isn’t mobile-responsive, it could hurt your visibility. Luckily, every theme in the Shopify Theme Store is mobile-optimized. But to be sure, run Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

Moreover, mobile shopping is now more common than desktop shopping, so a mobile-first approach isn’t just good for SEO—it also improves conversions. To check how well your Shopify theme performs on mobile, use the Google Lighthouse report and Google Search Console. Aim to pass both Core Web Vitals and the Mobile Usability test.

>> See more: Shopify Mobile Optimization Guide: Speed, Design, SEO,…

Use a Secure HTTPS Domain

Google considers SSL certification and HTTPS security when ranking sites. A secure website encrypts user data, which is essential for protecting customers and boosting rankings.

Make sure your store runs on HTTPS with an SSL certificate. The good news? All Shopify plans include SSL certification at no extra cost.

Improve Site Speed

Site speed is a ranking factor for both desktop and mobile searches. Aiming for a page load time between 0-4 seconds is ideal. Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to find performance issues and recommended fixes.

For more insights, use Google Lighthouse, which evaluates performance, accessibility, best practices, and SEO. Shopify also has a built-in Online Store Speed report. You can find it in your Shopify admin under Analytics > Reports

Optimize Images

Large image files slow down your store. Here’s how to optimize them:

• Compress images to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.
• Use descriptive file names and ALT tags to improve search visibility.
• Implement responsive images so they load efficiently on different devices.

Minimize Unnecessary Apps & Scripts

Too many apps and scripts can slow down your store. Regularly audit and remove any that aren’t essential.

>> See more: 11 Best Shopify Apps To Increase Sales And Conversion

Fix Broken Links

Search engines use bots to crawl and index websites. If a page has broken links, it can create errors and hurt your rankings.

Use Google Search Console to check for crawl errors. If a page is no longer active, redirect it to a relevant, existing page to maintain SEO value and provide a smooth user experience.

Develop an Internal Linking Strategy

Internal links help search engines understand your site’s structure and topic authority. They also improve user experience by guiding visitors to related content.

• Link related product pages to encourage upsells.
• Use internal links to highlight key pages and boost rankings.
• Interlink blog posts with product pages to move customers further down the sales funnel.

Optimize Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. Search engines use it to understand the context of the linked page.

Use a variety of anchor text types for better SEO:

• Exact match: “blogging tools”
• Partial match: “small business blogging tools”
• Related terms: “tools for bloggers”
• Branded: “Shopify blogging tools”
• Page title: “Best blogging tools for 2025”

Build a Strong Navigation Menu

Your website’s navigation helps users and search engines find important pages. A well-structured navigation menu improves SEO and user experience.

Common navigation styles:

• Single-bar navigation: A simple, minimal design with a single row of links.
• Double-bar navigation: A primary menu with secondary links stacked below.
• Dropdown navigation: A menu where links expand when hovered over.

>> See more: Shopify mobile navigation: Best way to create, optimize and Fix issues

Improve Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals measure user experience and impact rankings. Focus on these three key metrics:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures load time. Aim for under 2.5 seconds.
• First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity. Keep it under 100 milliseconds.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability. Maintain a score below 0.1.

One of the easiest ways to improve these metrics is by using a fast ecommerce platform. Shopify stores load 1.8x faster than those on other platforms, giving you a head start in SEO performance.

2.5 Off-Page SEO Checklist

Analyze Your Competitors’ Backlinks

Want to know where your competitors are getting their backlinks? Tools like Moz’s Link Explorer and Ahrefs’ Site Explorer can help you see which sites are linking to them. But don’t just look at the numbers—dig deeper. Why are these sites linking to your competitors? What makes their content worth linking to?

By spotting patterns, you’ll get ideas for potential partnerships and understand what website owners in your niche actually value. The goal is to create content and opportunities that naturally attract high-quality links.

Get Press Coverage

Building relationships with journalists can land you press mentions on authoritative sites, boosting your backlinks and credibility. Here are some simple ways to get noticed by the media:

• Enter industry awards or competitions
• Send out press releases
• Support a social cause and spread the word
• Share product samples with writers and reviewers
• Respond to journalist requests on platforms like HARO

Reclaim Brand Mentions

Sometimes, your brand or products get mentioned online, but there’s no link back to your site. That’s a missed opportunity! Use a brand monitoring tool like Brand Watch or Brand24 to find these unlinked mentions, then reach out to the writer or publication and ask them to turn the mention into a clickable link. Most of the time, they’ll be happy to update it.

2.6 Local Shopify SEO Checklist

Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is a powerful (and free!) SEO tool for local businesses. It helps customers find you on Google Search and Maps.

To get started, go to the sign-up page and enter basic details about your business—name, category, location, and contact information. Once that’s set up, take the time to optimize your profile so your business stands out in search results.

Before auditing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), check your dashboard to ensure your profile is 100% complete.

Here are a few key things to focus on:

• Verify your phone number and make sure it’s linked to your website.
• Avoid keyword stuffing in your business description—keep it natural.
• Include a call-to-action to guide visitors to the right pages.

Get Listed on Key Directories

Being listed on reputable online directories helps build trust and reinforces your business’s online presence. Make sure your business’s Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are consistent everywhere.

How to check and update your listings:

• Search Google for any alternate business names or phone numbers.
• Look up your business name in different directories and cross-check for accuracy.
• Prioritize both top directories and local/niche directories for better visibility.

Must-have directories:

• Google Business Profile
• Facebook
• Apple Maps
• LinkedIn Company Directory
• Bing
• Yelp
• Better Business Bureau
• Foursquare
• Yellow Pages
• Angi (formerly Angie’s List)

Optimize Your Contact Page

Your Contact Us page is crucial for local SEO—it reassures potential customers and helps them reach you easily. Make sure it includes your business name, address, phone number, and a contact form. Google prioritizes accurate and consistent business information, so keep it up to date!

Create City-Specific Landing Pages

If your business has locations in multiple cities, consider creating a separate landing page for each one instead of building multiple websites. This makes it easier to rank in each city while keeping everything under one brand.

Each city’s landing page should have unique, location-specific content, including:

• Business hours
• Address and contact details
• Localized information tailored to customers in that area

For example, if you’re targeting French shoppers, direct them to a dedicated page with all relevant details in French.

III. Download Shopify SEO checklist for free

Optimizing your Shopify store for search engines can feel overwhelming, but the right tools make all the difference. These free SEO checklists will guide you through key steps to improve your rankings and drive more organic traffic.

Basic Shopify SEO Audit checklist on Google Sheets

This beginner-friendly Shopify SEO checklist covers essential SEO tasks to ensure your store is properly set up for search engines. Use it to check your site structure, metadata, URL optimization, and other foundational SEO elements—all in a simple Google Sheets format.

Advanced Shopify SEO Audit Checklist

For those looking to take your SEO to the next level, this free Shopify SEO checklist dives deeper into technical SEO, performance optimization, PPC, Branding, Social, Design, and advanced strategies. It’s perfect for scaling your store’s visibility and improving search rankings.

IV. Bonus tips for Shopify SEO 2025

Use AI to scale content creation.

AI-powered tools like Shopify Magic, Jasper, and ChatGPT can help speed up content creation. Whether you need product descriptions, blog post outlines, catchy headlines, or SEO-friendly page titles, AI can be a game-changer.

But here’s the catch: AI-generated content alone won’t cut it. Search engines (and customers) favor content that feels real, engaging, and valuable. So, use AI to assist, not replace—inject personality, insights, and a human touch to stand out.

Focus on User Experience (UX)

SEO isn’t just about keywords and metadata—how users interact with your site plays a huge role in rankings.

• Page speed matters. A slow-loading store can increase bounce rates and hurt conversions. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to optimize loading times.
• Make navigation seamless. Your store should be easy to explore, with intuitive menus and clear categories.
• Ensure checkout is frictionless. A complicated checkout process = lost sales. Keep it fast, simple, and mobile-friendly.

A smooth, frustration-free experience keeps customers engaged—and search engines will reward you for it.

Provide Searchers with What They’re Looking For

The golden rule of SEO? Answer user intent.

Google’s algorithm favors websites that solve searchers’ problems efficiently. That means:

• Fast-loading pages that don’t make users wait
• Helpful, engaging content that matches what people are looking for
• Well-structured pages with clear descriptions for products, images, and categories

When users find what they need quickly and easily, they stay longer—and that signals search engines to rank you higher.

Don’t Over Optimize

SEO isn’t about stuffing keywords everywhere or following outdated tricks. In fact, over-optimization can hurt your rankings.

Instead, focus on:

• Conversion-driven content (copy that persuades and informs)
• A fast, responsive website that loads well on all devices
• High-quality images (compressed for speed but clear for visibility)
• Transparent policies (shipping, returns, FAQs) for better trust and engagement

Don’t Rely Only on Organic SEO

Relying only on organic SEO is risky. Instead, build a well-rounded traffic strategy:

• Run paid ads (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Shopping)
• Leverage social media (engage your audience on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest)
• Form strategic partnerships (collaborate with influencers, bloggers, or other brands)
• Host events and network (both online and offline)

Create memorable brands

Great SEO brings traffic, but a strong brand keeps people coming back.

• Stand for something. What makes your store different?
• Create share-worthy content—something customers want to talk about.
• Invest in storytelling across your website, emails, and social media.

A brand that people recognize and trust will naturally get more backlinks, shares, and organic mentions, boosting SEO without extra effort.

Prioritize mobile-friendliness

With mobile commerce leading the way, a mobile-friendly site isn’t optional—it’s critical.

• Use responsive design to ensure your store looks great on any device.
• Optimize for fast mobile loading (lazy loading images, reducing heavy scripts).
• Keep mobile checkout friction-free (one-page checkout, autofill, and mobile payment options).

Continue to improve your website for better search engine rankings

SEO is an ongoing process. A regular Shopify SEO audit should include core web vitals tests, duplicate pages and content scans, broken links, and page redirects and canonicalization.

Keep up with algorithm changes

Search engines evolve constantly. What worked last year might not work tomorrow. Stay on top of updates from Google, Bing, and other search engines, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Follow trusted SEO sources like:

• Google Search Central Blog
• Moz SEO Blog
• Ahrefs Blog
• SEMrush Academy

V. FAQs about Shopify SEO checklist

1. Should you include keywords in your domain?

→ Including keywords in your domain can improve search engine rankings and relevance; however, it’s not mandatory if your domain is short, easy to remember, and brandable.

2. Why think like a customer for keyword research?

→ Thinking like a customer helps identify the terms potential buyers would use when searching for products, ensuring the keywords you target align with customer intent and search behavior.

3. Why use short and relevant URLs?

→ Short and relevant URLs help search engines and users understand the page content, improving readability, click-through rates, and overall SEO performance.

4. How do blog posts help Shopify SEO?

→ Useful blog posts nurture potential customers by answering their questions, creating awareness about your business, driving traffic to product pages, and building a loyal customer base.

5. Why are quality backlinks better than many low-quality ones?

→ Quality backlinks from authoritative sites act as endorsements, improving your site’s credibility and rankings more effectively than numerous low-quality links that can harm your SEO.

6. Why have multiple blogs, and how should they be organized?

→ Multiple blogs allow you to segment content by topic (e.g., company news, products, tutorials), providing focused value to different customer segments and improving overall engagement.

7. Why is alt text important for images?

→ Alt text helps search engines understand the content of images, improves accessibility for visually impaired users, and allows images to appear in image search results.

8. How can you build backlinks?

→ You can reach out to other businesses or websites and offer them something of value for a backlink. Also, journalists need information to report on, so you could make connections with journalists and publicize your product.

9. What does Google Search Console do, and how do you submit a sitemap?

→ Google Search Console is a free tool to monitor site traffic and performance. To submit a sitemap, navigate to the ‘Sitemaps’ section in Google Search Console and enter your sitemap URL.

10. What is internal linking, and why is it useful?

→ Internal linking is linking from one page of your website to another. It helps search engines recognize your topical authority, categorize your content, and rank your pages.

In conclusion, a well-optimized Shopify store ranks higher, attracts more visitors, and converts better. The Shopify SEO Checklist 2025 provides a structured approach to improving your store’s visibility and performance. Download it now, follow the steps, and start seeing real results.